


Miracle At Hellfire Club

by Silver_G_Shroud



Series: The Angel of Hellfire [1]
Category: Demon: The Fallen, Hunter: The Vigil, Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, World of Darkness (Games)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Blood and Injury, Camarilla (Vampire: The Masquerade), Demons, F/F, Fighting, Inspired by Music, Lasombra (Vampire: The Masquerade), Minor Character Death, Music, Nosferatu (Vampire: The Masquerade), Tabletop, Toreador (Vampire: The Masquerade), Transformation, Werewolf, is this going to be a harem?, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29167953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_G_Shroud/pseuds/Silver_G_Shroud
Summary: Vera has had her shares of woes since waking up dead, but tonight she meets an actual angel. It takes her a while to recover from what she can only describe as a Miracle.Jessie, The bounty hunter generally chooses to hunt alone, but maybe this time she'll need some extra help.As a lone Hunter, Heather finds herself in the need of some new friends, Will the Werewolf and vampire be those friends for her?Somewhere close by is a graveyard filled with unsettled spirits, what would happen if they were pushed over the edge?
Relationships: Human/Vampire, Human/Werewolf
Series: The Angel of Hellfire [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141226
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue - Miracle

**Author's Note:**

> So I used music as inspiration for some of this and it might be worthwhile to listen to the music while reading, it's Miracle by Koven.  
> I gotta thank my Beta readers for this. I can write well enough to get the details and story down but I forget what grammar is whilst doing so. also, there are always bits here and there that could use extra work. also it's thanks to them and their encouragement that this is going up at all.  
> most of these ideas originate from a WOD campaign I ran several years ago, but the players disbanded before I could get all my ideas out. but I did run the games with werewolf, vampire, mage, and hunter characters. so I had to read all the books that were out at the time. with V5 of WOD almost out it's possible that I may get some things wrong with what the books say. I'll do my best with what I have available though. I hope everyone is entertained.  
> it might be funny to know that my WIP title was: "Did I seriously write a harem romance in world of darkness? why yes I did."

The music had stopped for the moment. An announcer’s voice emanated from the many speakers of Hellfire club. they thanked the previous band which received a moderate amount of applause. 

“C’mon just give us Heather!” Someone in the crowd shouted.

“Yeah we’re here for her!”

“Give us our angel!”

A rhythmic cheer grew from the crowd. “HEATHER! HEATHER! HEATHER!”

Vera sneered. “Given the name of this club shouldn’t she be a fallen angel?”

Richard hummed in response. To Vera the Toreador seemed unfocused. “I can’t believe we have to sit through another one of these stupid… it can’t be called music. Don’t you agree Vera?”

Vera rolled her eyes. “Dunno, doesn’t bother me much.”

“Oh, ignorance does relieve you of the pain of listening to awful music.”

Vera ignored Richard’s attempt to poke at her ego. Richard was meant to be some kind of maestro when he was alive. The love for music seemed to have followed him into undeath. Though to Vera, he seemed like an old coot yelling at the ‘kids these days’. He appeared to be middle aged, though he was likely much older than that. He was attractive and many of the humans in this club stared at him as if he was a king about to whisk them away. To Vera he was annoying.

She didn’t enjoy being around humans anymore.

“And now! What you’ve all been waiting for…!” The announcer stated, to a startling bout of applause. 

Vera expected the announcer to say Heather, or talk about her. But instead, music began. It was lighter and quieter than the last as if it appreciated the quieter moments. Then several dancers appeared. They wore long cloaks and danced in graceful movements.

The Toreador beside her straightened up considerably, Vera watched with disinterest as one of the dancers sang gently. As if she had gracefully placed a hand upon your shoulder.

_ “How did we make it _

_ With things that we've never known? _

_ Questioning the proof that we had. _

_ Was it all pointless? _

_ The time that we used to show. _

_ Except from finding comfort within false hope.” _

With the last line, the grey cloak slipped off the singer’s shoulders, revealing long locks of sunlight, eyes that were green. But the most surprising thing was the white feathers that unfolded from her back. Her clothes were pure white trimmed with gold. They flowed off her shoulders with a grace that defied gravity.

Richard stared at her as if he was in a trance. 

Vera tried but failed to look away. An angel, like the adoring fans had said. But the wings were fake, obviously. Angels didn't exist. Still the voice was angelic, she couldn’t deny that.

The chorus brought the music to a rise just as her wings were freed. Her voice captured something otherworldly.

_ “Have you found what you've been searching for? _

_ Ask yourself has it been worth it all? _

_ In another life, in another light. _

_ Have you found what you've been searching for?” _

Vera felt something stirring within her. For once it wasn’t the beast. It was nostalgic, the music pulled these things within her. She wanted to dance. She wanted to cheer. she wanted to cry. She couldn’t even look at Richard, her focus was on the singer. The other dancers were beautiful blurs that seemed to be full of joy as they swirled around on stage.

_ “Should it be easy, with time to deliberate? _

_ Could there only be one answer? _

_ Finding focus, but viewed in a different way. _

_ Tried to show them reasons so they'd understand.” _

Vera found herself actually listening to the lyrics as if they meant things to her. Emotions roiled within and if she still needed to breathe she would have forgotten to do so.

_ “Have you found what you've been searching for? _

_ Ask yourself has it been worth it all? _

_ In another life, in another light. _

_ Have you found what you've been searching for?” _

Vera wondered if she had ever found what she’d been searching for. No never. She’d never felt as if she had found what she wanted. Not once in her unlife. Though in her life… she could remember…

The singer descended from the stage, surrounded by golden orbs of light. The crowd parted for her automatically. None wanted to impede her progress. None were capable of touching her. 

The orbs pulsed with the beat of the song. The orbs weren’t blinding, but they were gentle. Occasionally they’d seem to collect over an audience member. Several of them swirled around Vera. Shouldn’t she be afraid of this? In the back of her mind, she recognized the powers of a Hunter. A very skilled one. She retreated from the lights; after all, she was a creature of darkness now.

_ “We could pray for a miracle. _

_ We could pray that a change will come. _

_ We could waste time for the hell of it. _

_ We could just move on.” _

Out of every single possibility the singer with hair the color of sunlight, eyes like green fields of life, and the most angelic voice Vera had ever heard, approached her. Out of all the wretches in this club, she chose Vera. Vera took another step back, she felt fear. Yet the singer’s melody spoke only of moving forward. There was no venom, no rage, no hate, no fear. It was so warm. Vera didn't want to escape this hunter.

The music quieted unexpectedly. With the singer in front of Vera, arms outstretched in welcome. 

_ “Have you found what you've been searching for? _

_ Ask yourself has it been worth it all?” _

The singer took Vera's hand in both hers. She spoke directly to Vera, reached something in her undead heart that still held something human within. Vera felt liquid on her face but she ignored it. Maybe she had found what she was searching for after all. In this singer. This angel could do all that she promised, she could understand the pain. She would give the world’s compassion. Offer a type of peace that everything searched for.

_ “In another life, in another light. _

_ Have you found what you've been searching for?” _

All too soon the singer let go of vera’s hand. Vera wanted to hold onto it for just a little longer, it was so warm and welcoming. Everything alive or dead desired this. 

The singer lifted towards the ceiling and floated around the club. Vera was barely able to notice the wires and strings that shifted in the shadows. But that didn’t matter. This was an angel. There was no other explanation. An angel touched her. Vera was an undead wretched thing that fed off humans to live another night. And the angel chose to touch her.

The singer returned to the stage just as the song quieted to merely nothing. All the lights went out except for a single spotlight upon the singer as a few more notes left her mouth. Then darkness.

It took several seconds for the crowd to recover. Then the cheering broke out, and sobbing. People leaped for joy as if they’d witnessed a true miracle.

Vera looked for Richard, he was on his knees, streaks of blood dripped from his eyes. The best way to describe his expression was to use the word enraptured. 

Vera reached up to her own face and wiped at the liquid. She too was crying, tears of blood as all vampires do. She wiped at her face. She was irritated. 

When she had been a hunter she learned about their various gifts. Most were related to assisting other hunters or for pure combat. But there was one that seemed to fit what she had just witnessed. They were called innocents. 

Innocents could bring peace to the battlefield. Vera didn’t believe it then. Out of all the hunters and their supernatural powers, innocents were the ones that were spoken of as either angels or Bait. They didn’t want to fight unless they had to, which went against many other hunters’ goals. Vera’s group of hunters didn’t agree with innocents, and generally, they didn’t believe they were real. 

But they were real. And they were the closest things to angels in the flesh.

* * *

“How much?” Richard asked the bartender.

“For what?” The bartender raised an eyebrow. He was middle aged, a softness around his middle, but against all odds he still had a head full of auburn hair that he wore long. His clothes represented some metal band that was past its heyday, but had a cult following that refused to die. His hands were callused and the muscles in his arms indicated that he could easily defend his bar from any drunk patrons. 

“For the angel of course.”

“Not for sale.” the bartender scowled.

Richard didn’t miss a beat. “Oh please, I wasn't asking you, I was asking for the owner. I’m sure they’d love to see the amount of zeroes I can show them.” 

“I’m him. The Boss, the Owner. Heather’s not for sale.” The Boss looked Richard up and down, and found that he disliked the rich bastard.

Richard’s eyes lit up. “Oh in that case…” 

Vera rolled her eyes then purposely stared at anywhere besides Richard. She hated that his ability to manipulate wasn’t limited to humans. She hated how his words could taste sweet enough to pull at her desires. But looking away wasn’t always enough.

Richard leaned closer to the Boss. “This club is popular right now but what about in a month, as soon as the shine wears off the patrons will go. This business is shady, take it from a former club owner.” he placed a hand over his unmoving chest. His eyes were bright and eager to lure in another victim to the list. “Sell me Heather and you’ll have enough money to live on comfortably for the rest of your life, I guarantee it.” His words were smooth and sounded like velvet. 

Vera would have given in, as much as she hated admitting it. Richard had a way with words; combine that with his supernatural powers and It was clear why the Elder’s doted on him.

There was a split second where Richard’s words seemed to settle into The Boss, where they seemed to take root. The mortal was being compelled and he was powerless against the Vampires pull. Then it stopped.

The Boss blinked as if he had just woken up from a daydream. “Not interested. Now, are you going to order something or do i need to ask security to have a chat with you?”

Richard gaped at the Boss. “are you absolutely sure there’s no amount of money that could convince you?” He hoped that the very real offer of money and his Vampiric talent would be enough to fool this human.

Again he shook his head. “Nope, nothing. You’re wrong about the Club losing it’s shine. Heather IS it’s shine. You take that away and the Club probably would fail. I’m going to guess you know that already. On top of that Heather’s her own person. I can’t sell her even if I wanted to.” The Boss shrugged and turned his back on the Toreador to ignore him. “If that’s all you’re after you might as well quit while you’re ahead.”

But Vampires don’t quit while they’re ahead, how do you think they ended up undead? Vera thought. She watched as Richard barely withheld his absolute distaste at the Boss. She felt smug at his complete defeat. At how a mere mortal had spurned him. She covered her mouth to hide her glee. “So what’s next?”

“We must obtain Heather. If her boss will not hand her over we will have to make her walk to us herself. It shall be simple.”

Vera nodded. “Oh yes, as easy as it was with The Boss.”

“Do Not test me Neonate. One word from me and you’ll be ashes.” he hissed.

“What I mean is that, what makes you think you can use your silver tongue on Heather? Hunters can be resistant to us. And heather is definitely a Hunter, a strong one.”

“She’s still merely a human. Though admittedly her voice is…” the grin on his face turned predatory and he almost seemed to slip into a trance. “You will find her for me.”

“Me?”

“You are the resident Hunter expert.”

Vera frowned. She heard the implied meaning behind the words. She was a hunter expert, because she had been one. 

She didn’t want to do Richard’s fetch quest. She didn’t like the look in his eyes when he talked about Heather. It was something beyond just the desire for blood. Vera didn’t know how she knew that. Perhaps her transformation into the undead had made her familiar with the look of blood lust, since she felt the hunger now too. Whatever the case, Richard’s hunger went beyond it.

But if she thought about it harder. She wanted to see Heather too. 

“Okay, sure. I’ll talk to her, hunter to hunter.”

Richard squared up to her. He was handsome, but right now he was far more terrifying. She preferred him when he was annoying, but right now she wanted nothing more than to cower away from him. To hope that she’d never see this face again. “Bring her to me directly Neonate.”

Vera could do nothing but nod and back away.

* * *

Vera thought about the possible ways in which she could meet the Angel. She could wait behind the club, watching every person who left it. But she had no idea how long Heather would be here. Heather’s schedule was easily found, posters on the walls announced what days and times she would be booked. So feasibly she could simply wait behind the club for Heather to leave and eventually they would meet. 

But the image of Richard’s terrifying face flew into her recent memory. She couldn’t afford to wait for that possibility. Vera was patient but Richard was not. Unconsciously she shivered.

She looked towards the backstage door. A bouncer stood there, she was tall and muscle bound. She reminded Vera of an Orc, but that wasn’t to say she was ugly. Just not Vera’s type. The bouncer eyed a small group of teens who were causing just enough ruckus to be a possible problem. The bouncer only needed a slight push. 

Vera slipped a glass half full of alcohol off a table who’s patrons were more busy with their mouths than their eyes then made her way towards the teens. 

She put the glass on their table and the teens eyed her suspiciously. “Aren’t you kids a little young for this?”

“No! What do you know?” one of the teens, their hair is died black with firey red highlights. 

“Sure you are.” Vera left the glass at the table and took a few steps away.

It’s only half a glass of alcohol but the teens go at it, then begin to act more drunk then they could possibly be. The bouncer straightened up and headed over to their table.

Vera darted behind her.

The backstage was only half lit, the lights needed to be dim so as not to affect the performances. Vera had no issue with the darkness… mostly.

She made her way around clothes racks and hurried stage hands to scan every face she could find. She pulled the darkness around her, let it cling to her so that the eyes of the rushed mortals did not linger on her long.

She rounded a corner and found that several rooms had names on them. There.. just a little further along the corridor was the name Heather Stonebreaker. 

The image of the angel as she took her hand in theirs. Their warmth enveloped Vera’s undead coldness. Vera was left in a state of content as the memory washed over her. The angel had granted her a moment of calm in her chaotic life. A few seconds of reprieve. In the angels eyes she had seen compassion. She felt as if she’d been starved for just such an emotion.

When Vera’s eyes returned to the present, heather’s door had opened. A woman with long golden hair stood in the doorway. She pulled on a brown jacket over a black t-shirt. She wore plain jeans with a few pockets in them and equally plain shoes. She had washed the makeup from her face.

All in all she looked human. Yet Vera could not completely divorce the thought of heather as an angel in her mind. Logically she was aware that heather was simply a hunter with a few pretty tricks up her sleeve, and yet. And yet. Soft white feathers… a voice that wiped away a vampire's hungry thoughts. Angel… angel… sing again angel.

Heather turned and started away from her door. Vera followed. She didn't exactly stalk at least she didn't think so. But her mind began to wander… What did angel blood taste like? she stayed far enough back, subconsciously she walked through the more shadowed areas. 

“Bye guys!” Heather stated happily at the backstage exit.

A chorus of replies called back to her. “Be safe on your way home!” “Bye sweetie!” “Smoochies!”

Vera rolled her eyes then waited long enough for the other actors to ignore the door before she darted through it.

Through the other side was a dark alleyway. Heather paused slightly further ahead, she placed some earbuds in her ears then stared at her phone as she flipped through the playlists and found what she was looking for. She hit play and seemed to instantly sigh in relief. 

Bad idea. Heather was all alone walking the dark streets, she even blocked her own ability to hear. Vera focused her entire attention on the woman. The way her hair bounced with her every step. The way she smelled like sweet blood.

Vera felt hungry. But she felt she could contain it for now. She had to. She wasn’t supposed to kill Heather. Vera closed the distance between them, She couldn’t let the hunter escape tonight. Richard couldn’t control her but… if she returned empty handed she wasn’t sure what would happen.

“Yes I’m aware… No, I don't want that. It’s...” Heather spoke in a hushed tone. She stood under a streetlamp.

Vera continued to close the distance between herself and heather. Was this a trap? She didn’t know. She hesitated just outside the light of the streetlamp. 

Heather turned and faced Vera. the hunter did not have a surprised look on her face as she stared at Vera. Vera froze, she hoped that the shadows that clung to her were enough to hide her from the hunter.

The hunter held out her hand and a ball of light formed. It washed over Vera, but it did not burn. Vera let out a hiss that faded before it could fully form. when she glared at the hunter, she was unable to feel anger towards her. The light that covered the two of them made Vera recall a young girl she knew in middle school. She remembered wanting to do anything to be near the girl. That was until the girl got a boyfriend and then...

“Hello there.” Heather said with a friendly but confused tone.

“Uh… Hi.” Vera blinked. She released the shadows from her body.

“You’re a vampire?” 

Vera frowned. “I… I can’t…”

“That’s okay. There’s rules about these things, aren't there?”

Vera nodded.

“Can you tell that I don't mean you any harm?”

Vera squinted at the hunter. She searched for signs of anger, aggression. The righteous rage that she knew hunters possessed. She found none of it in Heather. It was strange, but she felt that Heather truly had no intent to hurt her. It went against everything Vera knew about hunters, and everything she knew about Vampires.

“You’re doing something to me angel… Hunter! You’re a Hunter.”

Heather giggled. 

Vera thought that was an angelic sound. She fought to hold onto her aggression, but it slipped away from her like water.

“I’m sorry. This power I'm using works on both of us. It reveals my intentions to you, and it reveals what you are to me. Though I had some idea during the performance.”

“You knew back then? You remember that? You remember me?” 

“Of course I remember you!” Heather said cheerfully.

Vera realized that if she wasn’t dead she’d be blushing. The angel remembered her! No! Why was she feeling so warm at the thought of this hunter remembering her out of the hundreds of patrons at her club? 

“Here. let me just get rid of this.” the light faded from her hands and Heather looked at Vera expectantly. “So what’s your name?”

“I’m… Vera.”

“Nice to formally meet you Vera. I’m Heather.” The hunter held out her hand.

Vera hesitated, then gently gripped the Hunter’s hand in her own. “You figured out I was a vampire from how cold my hand was didn’t you?” She released the hunter abruptly.

“Kinda.” Heather shrugged. “So… how can I help you?”

Vera blinked in surprise. “You’re taking this pretty well. A vampire follows you down some dark streets. There's no one else around to save you if I attack.”

Heather smiled sadly. “You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last to follow me after work. Though I've never been attacked. I can’t tell if they all wanted to attack me at some point but… after we chatted they left in peace. I’d like this encounter to go the same way.”

“I suppose when you have a trick like that light up your sleeve I can believe that. Though most of us don’t like knowing we were manipulated by a human.”

“You called me an angel earlier.” Heather teased with another giggle.

Vera felt herself smile just enough to reveal her fangs before she snapped her mouth shut. “That was…” Vera looked away.

“So then. How can I help you?” Heather took pity on the vampire and gave her a new conversation to focus on.

Vera should attack her, bite into her neck until she couldn’t fight. Drag her back to their hideout for Richard and the Prince. But it just felt so wrong after all that. “I… have to bring you to meet someone.”

“You’ll be hurt if you don’t, won’t you.”

“Yes.” Vera admitted. “I’m just a pawn in these things, if I’m not useful they’ll get rid of me.”

Heather frowned thoughtfully. “Well the good part is that you aren’t here to kill me. I will go with you.”

“Are you serious? You’re just going to follow me. I’m a v-”

Heather put a finger to her lips and shushed Vera. “you’re not supposed to say that right? Let’s not get you in trouble.”

Vera took out her phone and eyed Heather suspiciously as she called Richard. “I got her.” she stated.

“Really?” he seemed surprised. “I did not expect you to succeed. But perhaps you’re more bloodthirsty than I expected. She is alive, I hope?”

“Yeah, she’s right here.”

“Good… good. Bring my little songbird to me then.”

* * *

They took a cab, for some reason Vera forgot that this meant heather would be sitting next to her. Her discomfort only intensified when she recalled how Richard talked about Heather. His songbird...

“Hey heather? Listen, I don’t know how to say this really.. well...”

“Hmmm?” The hunter stared out of the window as if she was a million miles away. “Sorry, did you say something?”

“Just that… Richard, the guy I’m taking you to is very much capable of convincing people to do things for him.”

“Are you worried about me Vera?”

Vera frowned. “It would be a shame if I couldn’t hear you sing anymore.”

“I appreciate the worry you have for me. Lots of people like to hear me sing as well. And I like to sing for them. So you don’t need to worry about me. I have motivation to not let him manipulate me.” Heather picked over her words carefully. No need to break the vampires laws in front of the cab driver.

The cab pulled to a stop and Vera sighed. She paid the toll then exited the cab, Heather right behind her. 

“Heather… look. This is difficult to say.”

Heather studied Vera. “I realize that I don't seem like someone who can handle themselves. But I can. Believe me when I say that I don't take vampires or any other inhuman creatures lightly. I know very well how easily you can kill me.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come.” Vera growled.

“If I didn’t then you’d be hurt. So I had to.” Heather shrugged.

Vera grabbed Heather's arm. Maybe Vera still had some humanity left over from when she was alive. Or maybe she was more appalled by this hunter’s genuine worry over some vampires' well being. But this was wrong. “Stop this. You shouldn’t care about me. You’re a hunter. Have some goddamn self respect!”

Heather stared into Vera’s eyes, an act that was usually dangerous for mortals to do. Yet she did it often. “I don’t have a death wish Vera. But…” 

Richard burst open the door to his production company. Richard owned many businesses, but this was the one he’d told Vera to bring Heather to. 

“Ah there she is.” Richard completely ignored Vera and immediately made his way to Heather. He took Heather’s hand and brought it to his lips. “I had the utmost pleasure of…” he broke off when he saw Vera’s hand still gripping Heather’s arm. “Vera…” his voice dripped with a sickeningly sweet threat to the other vampire. “Let our guest go.”

Vera’s grip tightened before she reluctantly released the hunter. 

“I’m very sorry about my associate's treatment of you, rest assured I shall treat you the way you deserve.” he placed a hand over his dead heart.

“Vera was actually very polite. You have an intelligent assistant.” Heather replied.

Richard paused to briefly look over at Vera, a question was on his lips. But before he could begin to question her Heather spoke again.

“Now, I’m not sure what you want with me. But I’m here in peace.”

That made Richard stare at her with less of his earlier bravado. “Let’s head inside.” he led them within, and gave Vera a dirty glance as he did so. 

“I didn’t tell her anything.” Vera hissed.

“I know about vampires already. She didn’t tell me anything.” Heather confirmed.

Vera felt heat in her chest that she felt as if she shouldn’t be capable of feeling.

“Is that so?” Richard stated. 

He led them to a large meeting room, with comfortable seats sat around a table. Upon the table was some tea and cookies. Obviously meant for the only one among them that could appreciate such things. A laptop was also set in the middle of the table, it’s screen currently black, though a red light at it’s base indicated that it was on.

“Please have a seat my dear.” Richard motioned for the sofa. He took a seat across from her. “You stay by the door and make sure we are not interrupted.” he pointed at Vera.

Vera glanced nervously at Heather before she followed his orders. She hung close enough to overhear them. Then she tried to sort out her feelings on the matter. She had never been told why Heather was required to meet with them. But she had some guesses after watching her sing. 

Heather had power, real power. Power that was unexpected, and had influence over Kindred. The elder vampires Vera had only briefly met that ran this city would want power like that to be controlled or destroyed. Heather did not have as many bargaining chips as she thought she had. The Camarilla would not tolerate her.

Her best bet was to sign a deal with Richard. Basically she would have to work for them. Richard would write it off legally as her signing a label agreement with him. She could be famous with her voice. But she would be caged by him. Vera had seen his other contracts. Led by Richard with his powers of manipulation. He used them up until they were no longer interesting to him. Then he left them.

“So Heather. Knowing what you know about Us. that does save some time. Which is almost a shame. I think I’m going to love spending more time with you.”

“You’re very sweet to say that. But i’m not sure why i’m here.”

“Yes of course how rude of me.” Richard poured her some tea. “My name is Richard Benoit, I am the owner of Beniot records, among other industries. Though right now I've taken a heavy interest in music. Vocalists to be exact.” he placed the cup of tea in front of her. He expected her to accept it without question, much like his proposal. “You fit the bill perfectly.”

“Forgive me for my confusion but I find it hard to believe that you had Vera bring me here simply to work out a music deal.”

Richard sighed. “We can talk about that later. Why don’t I tell you about all the benefits you will receive with my label.”

“Mr. Beniot. I must respectfully decline the offer.” Heather stated, her voice was strained with the effort to sound as polite as possible.

Vera grinned inwardly.

“But you didn't even listen to the details.” he stood up and rounded the table, then he took a seat next to her. He politely moved the tea and food closer to her. “A contract with me will ensure you become famous.” he stared deeply into Heather’s eyes and turned the charm up. “There wouldn’t be a household where your voice wouldn’t reach. Why is it that you sing anyway? For money? For fame? Or perhaps you believe it helps people. Join me and whatever you seek will be yours.”

Heather smiled. “I’m sure it would.” she stared directly at Richard, into his eyes. Where their power was greatest. She stared and did not move, she did not indicate a moment of fear. Nor did she indicate that the power had any effect on her.

The smile Richard wore faded. “I can see you may be harder to convince of these benefits than others. As befits someone with a voice like yours. A voice that is heralded by the heavens themselves.” He leaned closer to her.

Heather eyed him suspiciously. She was aware that his appearance had shifted, No, that he was using his powers to do these things, to sweeten his words to make himself more handsome to her.

“Mr. Beniot. I would appreciate it if we didn’t use unfair advantages on each other. That would be rude, Don’t you think?”

Richard stared at her neck for an abnormal amount of time before he met her eyes once more. He licked his lips.

Heather wasn’t sure that Richard was going to back off.

Vera materialized behind him. Unsure of what her plan was. Wait... no, she didn't have a plan.

“Sorry to interrupt Mr. Beniot.” a feminine voice emanated from the laptop. “But I can tell you are getting off topic in our discussions.”

Vera’s eyes widened in fear and she immediately backed away. She knew that voice.

Richard recoiled while somehow retaining his composure. “My Prince. You are early. I was merely attempting to make our guest more forthcoming to you.”

“Yes, I saw that.” The voice was laced with amusement. “It seems to be going well.”

Richard’s face struggled for a moment before he smiled a little too intensely. “She is most definitely a hunter, my prince.”

“Oh I see, so that is your excuse as to why she is not bending to your will?” the voice said sceptically. Clearly she enjoyed watching Richard squirm beneath her. “Where is the neonate?”

Vera approached. “Here…”

“You were the one that procured this hunter?”

“Yes.”

Richard shot a glare at Vera.

“And how exactly did you manage to do so when Richard can scarcely make her blink at him?”

Vera fought the urge to look away from the laptop. It helped that she couldn't see the prince's face. The laptop’s screen was still blank to protect the prince’s identity from the hunter. “I followed her and talked with her.” 

“I’m aware you must have used some type of diplomacy, as the hunter is unharmed and here by her own will. What I want to know is how you did this.”

“Vera was very polite.” Heather spoke up. “Though I wasn’t aware I would be talking to anyone else besides Mr. Beniot.”

The prince paused and the Vampire in the room froze. The hunter had spoken out of turn. To the  _ Prince _ . 

“Was I speaking to you Hunter?” the prince’s voice didn’t hint at what emotions might be roiling beneath. 

“I don’t know. But I was there when Vera asked me to come here. If you must know, it’s not all that uncommon for me to get asked to help people after a performance. I assumed this was one of those times.” Heather replied in a polite and direct way which the Prince seemed to appreciate.

“I see. Then we should move on to the subject at hand.” There was a small pause, possibly for dramatics. “Heather, You are a hunter. You have not hidden this fact from those that see your performances. What is the purpose of this?”

Heather blinked. “I think the lights add some atmosphere to the music. The audience always appreciates it. Am I right?” Heather looked at Richard then glanced at Vera.

Richard nodded “Impossibly so… magnificently...”

The prince sighed. “You mean to tell me that this display is not meant to be a threat? A hunter showcasing such power for all to see could be seen as a statement.”

“A threat? I never meant it in such a way. Hellfire is a place where anyone can go. Bar the limit of people allowed in the building for fire safety. The boss says it's not good business to push people away.”

“Good business… yes. You see the reason I wanted an audience with you is because several of my underlings speak highly of your club, and of you. You understand why it is not wise for vampires and… hunters to mingle.”

“All I do is sing and put on a light show. If your people like to listen I can't stop them.” her tone shifted. 

Vera sensed the shift in Heather’s tone. She wondered if anyone else did. She’d spoken with her more than the others, so maybe she was the only one that recognized it.

“It wouldn’t be possible to control who or what enters the gates of Hellfire. They enter willingly, they are looking for something. I bring them a few moments of that. It's nothing so tangible as a drink of deep red. But it is there, my voice can provide it.” Her voice now lacked the slight cheer that it held before. It seemed dark now. 

This voice reminded Vera that Heather was perfectly capable of killing them, just as they were capable of killing her. 

The Prince was skeptical. “So what you are saying is that you provide something intangible to your patrons?” 

“Can you capture a voice? You could with me, my dear.” Richard stared longingly at Heather.

Heather shot him a look that was far less polite than the first time she turned him down. If anything she looked down on him. As if to say, how dare you speak out of turn.

“Silence Richard. We’re doing business.” The prince’s voice was the same as the look on Heather’s face. “I’d like to offer you a deal, Miss Heather. Unlike Mr. Benoit’s contracts. This will prove far more beneficial to you. Parts of it are negotiable.”

Richard recoiled.

The prince continued. “Your club is now part of my territory. As such we need to work out how to come to a diplomatic solution to our differences.”

Heather stated directly. “I am not leaving Hellfire. The patrons are free to come and go as they please.”

“... Agreeable. Let’s say that you were to find a mess left by… someone that belongs to me. You will tell no one of this besides those that bear my mark.” The laptop screen changed to that of a Chess piece, the Queen to be exact.

Heather stared at the screen and frowned. “The people within Hellfire are under my protection. If they are harmed I will protect them. Be they human, werewolf, vampire, or anything else.”

The prince stated. “I see fit to tell you that you are in a den of wolves. Do not ask more than you deserve mortal.”

Heather smiled. But it wasn’t the friendly smile that Vera remembered. “This is not a threat. This is a description of present events. I have seen many vampires within Hellfire. Many werewolves. Many people that you may or may not know of. When I say people I do not always mean humans… there are more things in heaven and earth than we can comprehend. They like Hellfire Club.” Heather moved towards the laptop. She whispered into the microphone.

Neither vampire in the room could hear what she spoke.

There was a long pause.

Richard was fully capable of clawing into heather’s neck at any moment. the hunger in his eyes indicated his desire to do so. Only the prince’s order was necessary.

Vera hugged herself and backed away. She was reluctant to hurt Heather, but if she refused she would be dead.

“Fine. Hellfire shall be neutral ground. Such a thing will come in handy in the future.”

“I can appreciate how vampires always plan towards the future.” Heather leaned back. Her earlier cheerful tone resumed as if it had never left.

“One last requirement for our deal to be made. You will be watched by my people. If you step out of line, cause me problems. You will end. And I will enjoy it.”

Heather smiled politely. “I understand Prince. If I may make a suggestion, Vera seems suitable for the role. She seems to understand how hunter’s work. I prefer her to...” she rolled her eyes towards Richard.

The prince barely acknowledged her. “Good. Very good. We will speak soon.” The laptop went dark once again.

* * *

Heather took out her keys and unlocked her door. She looked in her apartment. A quick scan to make sure things had not been disturbed. Just in case. She’d been careful up to this point that no one knew where she lived. She’d been capable of talking her way through those that tried to follow her. Giving them an extra sense of peace that they sought. It had been enough for them.

Until now.

“Vera, you are welcome to come into my apartment.”

Vera sighed as she entered the dimly lit hallway. “No thanks.”

Heather shrugged. “Where will you stay when it gets light out?”

“I have places. You shouldn’t invite strange people into your home.”

“Aww, how very protective you are.” She teased.

“I am not!” Vera hissed. She closed the distance between the two of them to talk quietly. 

“You were a hunter before, like me?”

Vera froze. “Shut up human.”

“We might as well be friendly since we’re a bit stuck together. I’ll go first. The guy in 312 is a drunkard who catcalls all the girls in the apartment, or who walk by. When I say girls I do mean girls. He makes them uncomfortable. I tell him off. But a fat lot of good that does.” Heather gestured vaguely to a room down the hall.

“What?”

“You were there when I said that certain people are under my protection, right?”

Vera nodded skeptically.

“He isn’t.”

Vera stared in disbelief . “I won’t take scraps from you.”

Heather shrugged again. “Free will is yours.” Heather’s tone shifted like it had earlier.

Vera’s eyes widened at the apartment door as it shut. The subtle sound of a lock clicking into place behind it.

Vera’s hunger growled at her. Despite her earlier statement. She found that she headed towards room 312. She knocked on the door, eventually pounded on it as loudly as her beast demanded her to do so. It snarled when the man opened the door.

He was balding, not overweight despite the drunken state he was in. He was loud, and annoying. 

“Just shut up!” she shoved him back into his room. She didn't even hear his words of protest. Then she caught sight of a blurry image in a mirror, herself as she slid the door shut behind her then cornered the man. Her fangs sank into his neck and tasted liquid that was doused with enough alcohol to light a fire. 

He tasted like hatred, of self entitlement mixed with testosterone. She hated this taste but it was necessary. The beast ripped into her stomach and up her throat, demanding every drop the man had. It was so hard to push it back.

When she was done he slumped to the ground, she didn't know if he was breathing or not and she didn't care.


	2. Chapter 1 - Hellfire Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vera learns a bit more about Heather and the place she works at, Hellfire Club. A place where just about anyone can be welcomed, and just about anything can happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As before, my two beta readers have been a great help in getting this stuff edited into something coherent. Also, a great deal of encouragement to keep writing and put these out here.

Vera stood at a bus stop across the street from Heather’s apartment building, she didn’t want to be inside the building when her last meal either woke up or someone called the police upon finding his body. Since no police had been called she started to think that he had lived but with the memory of an angry woman who busted into his apartment. Maybe it would be enough to discourage his behavior but only time would tell.

The other thought that occasionally popped into her head was how idiotic it was to have a vampire tail a human. Because humans, despite all their weaknesses and faults, can walk around in daylight. Vera didn’t have a way to prevent heather from daylight activities, such as escaping or somehow breaching the masquerade. It would have been wiser to have one of those thinbloods stalk her. They could still walk around in broad daylight without worries.

Not that Vera was stalking Heather… she was only following orders. 

But she was restless as she stared holes into the apartment complex’s front door. When would Heather appear? She had work tonight, hadn’t she? Was she off work? Had Vera already lost the one human she was meant to be stalking? Following, not stalking, she reminded herself.

Luckily, Heather appeared at the front door before Vera could think about invading Heather’s apartment itself. Vera felt a wave of relief pass through her, she wasn’t going to die tonight because she lost her mark. Small victories.

Heather looked around before she spotted Vera and waved with that almost irritating and cheery look on her face while her blond hair bounced around her face. She wore her street clothes, which included the same brown jacket from the night before, jeans, and a white shirt that was tucked in. Once again, Vera was surprised by how normal she looked off the stage. The Vampire would have had no clue the blond was a hunter if she didn’t already know that fact.

Vera rolled her eyes before she approached the Hunter. “So what exactly are you planning on tonight?”

“The same thing I do every night, try to take over the world!” she giggled.

“Yeah I’ll just let the Prince know, we’ll see if she finds you funny.”

“Aww Vera, we’ve known each other long enough to recognize jokes right?”

“I literally only met you last night.” Vera’s rationality seemed to be lost on Heather who only laughed.

“At least I know you’ve had a meal since we last met. That guy down the hall was trying to fix a broken door today. He looked pretty pale.” She turned towards the Hellfire Club and walked in that direction.

Vera regarded her with concern then followed after. “I really don’t know what to think of you. That’s not something to celebrate.”

The Hunter shrugged. “It’s necessary for your survival isn’t it? You know… the whole drinking of the red liquid and whatnot.”

“There’s something wrong with you. A Hunter shouldn’t be encouraging me to eat.”

“Someones got to be the mom friend and remind the kids to eat their cereal and milk.” she pointed out.

Vera… was at a loss for words.

* * *

The Hellfire Club stood on the corner of a street, from half a block away it was possible to feel the bass thumping into the concrete itself. The neon signs had the name of the club displayed proudly with hellish flames and devil horns to boot. There was a line out the front door but the duo headed to the back entrance. 

The alleyway behind the club was filled with the thumping bass from the music within. Graffiti littered the walls, some of it was meaningless, like names or lewd drawings. Others were filled with anger, F the police and other similar statements. But others were artistic, Vera noted that the more artistic designs usually involved angels.

The vampire could smell the scent of vomit from around the dumpster, she could hear the incoherent hums and shouts of a few drunken patrons who wandered the alleyway. Besides them, the only other person was a bouncer by the back door.

The bouncer eyed the two, but only flashed a smile to Heather in greeting. Then raised an eyebrow at Vera.

Heather stuck a thumb to the other’s chest. “She’s with me.”

“Just make sure she doesn’t get in the way.” The bouncer eyed Vera suspiciously.

“Sure thing!” The singer replied with far too much cheer.

Vera decided not to push her luck with the bouncer, she followed heather inside the club where the music was much louder. It caused her unbeating heart to shake with the bass to the tempo.

The backstage area was familiar only because the vampire had followed Heather through here the night before. But now heather had decided to give her a full-on tour. It occurred to Vera as the singer showed her the changing rooms, props, tech, and lighting areas that judging by the reactions of Heather’s fans, many of them would kill to be in her shoes. 

Especially when she was allowed in Heather’s personal room. She couldn’t help but feel a little smug that she was here, in the Hellfire Club’s own angel’s changing room. Not that she had any ill intentions with Heather, Vera just liked comparing the shouts of the singer’s fans to her current location. That’s all.

“Make yourself at home.” The blond suggested as she adjusted her hair in the mirror. 

Vera took a look around before she settled herself on a couch. The dressing room was smaller than the general changing rooms but had privacy as well as comfort. A mirror with a table filled with various makeup and brushes was the focal point. 

A Large set of hangers covered one wall, filled with costumes and outfits of various types. She considered them and tried not to think of the blond in each outfit. The way the frills on one dress would dance around her body as she twirled, or how the black ones would hug her figure. 

A screen in one corner gave the room's owner even more privacy to change if it was needed. Several chairs as well as the couch Vera sat upon surrounded a low table. A set of playing cards was left abandoned upon it.

Vera started to relax, as long as she kept an eye on the hunter, her job would be easy. After all, Heather didn’t seem the least bit concerned with escaping and it would be hard to lose someone who was as cheerfully annoying as she was. 

She let her eyes close for only a moment before the vampire felt the vague sense of a presence too close to her for comfort. Her eyes snapped open to a figure hunched over her. It pulled itself to its full height and cackled. Vera’s hand went to her gun and she drew it on the figure.

“Oh, will you two calm down. There’s no need for guns!” Heather stared at the others.

The figure took a step back but continued to cackle. “Oh man, that was the funniest thing I’ve seen in YEARS!”

“Sorry Vera, this is our DJ. his name is-”

“DJ S1nn3r! With uh... the “I” replaced with a “1” and the “E” replaced with a “3” of course. A bit on the nose, true. But it fits the aesthetic they were going for here.”

“His name is Henry.” Heather glanced at the gun. “He’s like you, so you don’t need to worry. Put the gun away Vera, you’re going to break something.”

Vera glared at the figure. He was tall and despite the large black hoodie that covered him, it was still evident that he had muscles on his form. He was covered head to toe in black featureless clothes, but if Vera squinted she could make out faint impressions that would Glow under ultraviolet light most likely. The hood was over his head but it didn’t fully cover what appeared to be skin that looked horrifically burned. 

Henry glared back at her, he also took his time to read her for potential danger, Though in his case he seemed to think she wasn’t much of a threat and he smirked misaligned fangs at her. “You heard the angel, put the gun down. You wouldn't want to call attention to anything around here, would you?” he removed his hood, revealing a bald head covered in what was either horrific burn scars or he was a Nosferatu. 

“Fine.” she reluctantly lowered her weapon. 

Heather frowned at Henry.

“Eh tough crowd, am I right?”

“You shouldn’t have snuck up on her Henry” she chastised him.

“Aw, but you thought it was funny too. You were grinning as much as I was.”

The blond smiled in a guilty way. “Maybe a little.” she shared a laugh with Henry.

Vera glared at them. “Well if you’re both done trying to make me shoot someone…”

“Sorry, Henry this is Vera. she’s part of the-”

“That's need to know info, and he doesn’t need to know!” The last thing Vera needed was for everyone and their uncle to know she was working for the Camarilla to follow around a particularly annoying hunter.

The hunter in question shrugged and looked helplessly at the nosferatu. “Sorry Henry, I guess I can’t say. You’re both vampires though.”

“Oh I can tell.” he pointed at heather’s mirror. “The new girl here has a strangely blurry reflection. That’s Clan Lasombra’s dirty laundry.”

Vera shot him another glare. 

He smiled with his eerie fangs. “What? I’m just making sure our Angel here knows what she’s getting into hanging around the likes of you. It’s not like I’m hiding anything.” he let his hand run over his scar-covered scalp. He replaced the hood over his head a moment after.

“Nosferatu.” the Vampire glared at Henry. “I should have known by your appearance.” 

“Anyway Heather, just so you know. Lasombra licks got the unique ability to mess with shadows. So if you see some shadows that seem suspicious.” he pointed at the other vampire. “It’s probably her.” He placed an arm around Heather. “It’s nothing like me you know right away what I am. No hiding this from you.” he motioned at his face.

“I always thought that you had some genetic condition, to be honest.” Heather stared at him without flinching.

“No, unfortunately, I only got this handsome after I died and came back.”

Vera felt relieved that she didn’t have to look at him anymore. Though the hunter didn’t seem to indicate one way or the other how she felt about either vampire. Though she didn’t seem uncomfortable around the nosferatu. 

“Ah that would explain some things,” Heather stated. 

“Well I’m going to let you get ready for tonight angel, and I’ll take this one to show her around.”

“Good plan Henry, thank you!” her blond hair bounced as she nodded.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Vera asked.

“Not at all. After all, I think it would be a bit strange if you sat in here while Heather got changed. Gotta respect our angel’s right to privacy.”

Vera got the sense that when Henry referred to Heather as the angel, that he wasn’t being fully sarcastic about it. At least he didn’t say it in a derogatory way. It was similar to how a friend would tease another friend. Not that she would be jealous of something as simple as friendship. Something like that, especially with a human was only going to lead to tragedy.

Vera reluctantly followed Henry out to the front of the Club. When he walked he was so hunched over that it was easy to forget his real height. Whether that was part of his clan curse or something he just did to purposely avoid eye contact, she wasn’t certain. 

He took her to a table in the corner that had a good amount of shadows to cover it. From here it was possible to survey the whole club while avoiding attention. Now that she was more familiar with the Club, Vera realized that The Nosferatu had probably seen her the previous night, possibly even from this table.

“So then, you mind telling me what it is you’re doing with the person that’s making me money?”

“What do you mean?”

“Heather makes this club a large amount of the green stuff.” He took a seat and hunched over the table. Though it made him seem small to any onlookers, anyone closer would feel intimidated by it. “Green stuff that lets me live a nice comfy unlife. I get to make some music and sit back and relax. I'm not so foolish as to think that I could attract so many people to our club.” his eyes narrowed on Vera. “So what are you after?”

She thought about it for a moment, how could she give him enough information to stop bothering her, and yet not tell him anything important? “For reasons that I’m not capable of talking about without putting lives on the line. I have to stick with Heather.”

“Hmmm…” he grinned, it was an unsettling sight. “Sounds like a Cammy thing to say. Don’t be so surprised, lick. I've been around, tried a few things. Figured out that what I wanted to do was relax. Not follow some old dirtbag who would throw you to the wolves without a second chance. Plus all those rules and regulations. You might live forever but you’re a prisoner for it.”

She knew there were other groups of Vampires out there. The Camarilla was just one group, but she wasn't prepared to talk so openly about one who wasn’t from the Camarilla. That would be a very quick way to find a stake in her chest. “So what do you do?”

“I’m on friendly terms with the Anarchs but I'm more of my own thing. Just don't upset anyone and I get to do what I want. And what I want is to keep this job and its perks. So as long as you aren’t in the way of that, then you and I are good. But if you are then… well…” he sat with the correct posture, pulled himself to his height, “Well I’ll just have to do something about it then.”

Vera’s eyes widened. She recalled hearing about the Anarchs in this territory. Mostly that they were completely unorganized and not worth speaking with. But of course that was what her superiors told her, how much of that was accurate she didn’t know. She understood that they would follow the basic rules of the masquerade so the Camarilla didn’t see them as a complete enemy at the very least. “I’m not interested in hurting her or taking her away. Since apparently that’s something you care about.” 

He put a hand over his dead heart and he looked genuinely surprised by the comment.. “Me? You think that…?” 

“Hey Henry, you’re up next remember?” The boss approached the table and interrupted their conversation. Except for a change of clothes he looked exactly the same as he did the night before. Maybe a little better rested, though as the night wore on that could change.

Henry gave Vera one last look before he let it go. “Ah sure Boss, I’m all set. Just chatting with a new… friend.” He withdrew into his usual bad posture.

She could feel the lack of kindness in the word friend.

“Don’t take too long.” He decided not to ask any more questions. Things were usually better off that way.

Vera called out to the boss before he could leave. “Hey, boss man. I’m curious about something. Yesterday you talked with me and an associate of mine.”

Henry muttered something about disbelieving the associate terminology. But Vera ignored him.

“Yeah, I recall.” The man looked her up and down. “The other guy was something else. No offense to your associate.”

“Are you uh…” Vera wondered how to properly ask how a mortal human was capable of defeating a Vampire’s ability to manipulate their minds. She knew hunters could do so. Or people with incredible willpower… or sometimes other supernatural creatures. If the boss was any one of those, that information would be useful. 

“Am I what?”

Vera’s eyes slid over to Henry. “Oh, I see what you’re asking. Good luck.” he glanced at the boss and smiled without teeth. 

She glared back at the other vampire.

“My associate tends to be very good at convincing people of doing what he wants them to do. But you refused him yesterday. I’m impressed by it and i just want to know how you did it.”

The boss frowned. “I admit I don’t know… everything about what goes on. But I know enough. I know there are more things in heaven and earth than we could ever comprehend.”

“Here we go.” Henry rolled his eyes.

“Hellfire is protected by an angel.” The Boss stated as if it was a simple thing to say...

She looked between the boss and Henry. “You mean Heather?”

“No, I mean people like to call her our angel but she gets the reputation left by the real thing.”

Henry chuckled. 

Vera gave him a confused look. “You believe there's a real angel that protects this place? The Hellfire Club…” she blinked in shock. “Really?”

“Ironic right? This angel’s got a sense of humor if it's real.” Henry cackled.

“Yeah laugh it up. They told me this place is under their protection. So I feel a little less bothered by who and what walks in here. The standing threat of an angel's wrath is generally enough to stop anything from getting out of hand.” The boss read the expressions of disbelief on their faces. “Fine, believe what you want but you can’t deny that this whole place is a little miraculous.”

Vera caught sight of a drunk patron vomiting into a garbage can. “Oh yes quite.”

“Damn it all.” the Boss stalked away to call attention to a nearby bouncer to deal with the situation.

Vera looked back at Henry. “There's not really an angel here… right?”

Henry did his signature cackling laugh but the laugh died out quickly and he shrugged instead. “The boss seems sure of it. And I’m sure he’s seen some shit.” The nosferatu knocked his knuckles on the table to get the other vampire’s attention. “Listen, try not to eat anyone too close to the boss, I’m sure he knows what we are and just doesn’t mention it. And of course don’t you go mentioning this to your bosses, get it?”

She frowned but nodded. It wasn’t like she had proof that there was a real angel here anyway. The prince would probably have Vera’s head just for wasting her time.

He stood up, though it wasn’t his full height. “Right, just hang out here while me and the angel do our work.”

She watched him leave before she turned her attention to the club itself. The lighting shifted to focus attention on the stage. The cheering started up before the music could fully fade away. The crowd was here for one person and one person only.

The vampire admitted silently to herself that she was glad she could witness it without the need to divide her attention elsewhere. This time there was no Richard to distract her. She could just watch and enjoy it.

(music The Glitch mob - Fly by night only)

She leaned back as the beat started. A shadowy figure leaned over a whole table filled with switches and buttons and various other movable objects. He wore all black as well as a helmet that fully covered his head. At the very least Henry could hide his affliction while on stage. 

_ “Fly by Night, only _

_ On my watch, babe” _

It was Heather’s voice, though Vera believed it was sung through a headset that Henry controlled. Her voice was slightly altered by the DJ though the tone of it remained the same. 

Heather stepped out on stage, her outfit was all black as if to purposely contrast the previous nights' attire. 

The mood was drastically different as well, perhaps it was the DJ’s influence over the music but Vera got the idea that Heather was decidedly un-angelic this time around. Several other Dancers stepped out beside her, each wore black as the lights flashed dramatically around them.

_ “Take a ride outside with me _

_ Just for a little while _

_ Feel the wind brush back the road _

_ And clean you of your lies” _

The angel of Hellfire Club ran a hand through over her head as if to bring attention to two buns her hair was tied into that looked almost like small horns. Her black clothes were loose fitted, to flow around her as she moved across the stage. The skirt was almost long enough to be a dress, when she twirled it reminded Vera of a flower with black petals, The angel’s hair looked gold when it was surrounded by so much darkness.

_ “There's a tone I tend to touch _

_ A deepened lust from which I fall _

_ And the racing heart will beat _

_ Endlessly into the dark” _

The singer seemed to faint into the arms of a nearby dancer and placed a hand over her heart. She placed a hand over her heart and made a motion like a heart lively beating in her chest. Then the dancers lifted her up on her feet again. The lights flickered like a strobe light and for a few brief seconds, Vera thought she saw… other things on the walls, stage, and dancers themselves. In the next moment, the lights turned normal and anything out of the normal vanished as soon as it had appeared. The song went on as if nothing had happened.

_ “Take a ride outside with me _

_ Just for a little while _

_ Feel the wind brush back the road _

_ And clean you of your lies” _

Heather beckoned to the audience and the dancer’s followed suit. Though of course, no one was actually meant to approach. Upon the word of lies she wagged her finger with a sly grin, how dare they speak falsehoods to her.

_ “There's a tone I tend to touch _

_ A deepened lust from which I fall _

_ And the racing heart will beat _

_ Endlessly into the dark” _

The lights flickered then went out, when light returned it wasn’t quite the same. Suddenly all the performers' clothes glittered with demonic symbols and sketches. Of course, the lights that had returned were ultraviolet. And the symbols had been there from the beginning, they were just invisible.

_ “In darkness ascend _

_ I take to the night, again” _

On the back wall that the singer had positioned herself perfectly in front of was a pair of demon horns that fit on the buns in her hair and bat-like wings that fit her form. Of course, the moment she moved the brief illusion was lost.

Vera’s eyes passed over the walls of the club. Overall the imagery on posters and graffiti, they almost all seemed to represent an angel or demon, there was no difference given to the images. If the vampire thought about it more… It reminded her of a church. She had often been to church when she had still been a hunter. There was a feeling that emanated from them. But it wasn’t something tangible, something invisible yet strong that lingered in these spaces of worship. Though the club was much louder than a church and the faithful worshippers were the patrons.

_ “Fly by Night, only” _

Heather’s last note hung in the air and the eyes of the audience were glued to her as she stood in front of the artwork, once again it pictured her as a beautiful demon instead of an angel. Vera really couldn’t shake the feeling that she was seated in the pews of a church instead of a nightclub.

Applause roared through the audience and she clapped her hands along with them. She didn't feel caught off guard like she had the night before. Maybe some of the mystery that surrounded the miraculous singer had faded. Yet for several moments during the performance, Vera had wondered if Heather was the angel that the bossman believed in. 

The applause faded as heather left the stage, Henry or DJ S1nn3r as he was called, put on another song and the patrons danced to that instead. Vera stood up to head backstage and congratulate Heather on another fine performance. But something disturbed the crowd.

She scanned the party goers, there was a man who made his way around the patrons, his presence itself bothered people. But he also spoke to each person he could reach. Upon closer inspection, she could figure out why. The signs were subtle but she could pick up on the fact that he was a cop, though he wasn’t in uniform.

No one wanted to talk to cops. Whether they were just an average human or not. No one wanted anything to do with them. For good reason to be sure. She thought it was ironic that he hadn’t been here a couple of minutes ago, if he had he would have been subjected to the same wowing effect that Heather seemed to have over everybody. He might have forgotten why he was here and left. But he’d just missed it, so now he was a problem.

He was a risk to the masquerade just because he walked in here. 

The vampire didn't have to wait long for the cop to make his way to her. He seemed frustrated, his eyes betrayed a lack of sleep. 

“Have you seen this girl?” he thrust a picture in her face.

She ignored the picture and gave the man a confused look. That’s why he was here, to find a missing girl? Nothing else? He picked the wrong club to bust into, considering the likelihood that many people here were not human. 

“Please just look at the picture.”

Vera looked. She was a young girl, a happy grin on her face as she hugged a small stuffed toy of a blackbird to her chest. An elderly woman had a hand on her shoulder, her smile was less pronounced but still sweet as she looked down at the girl. Vera didn't recognize them at all. “Sorry, no.”

The cop stared at her for a moment before he backed off. “Thanks for looking.”

Vera saw a bouncer approach the cop. “You should leave.” She warned him.

He frowned at her then he took a step forward. The movement caused him to slip just out of the reach of the bouncer.

The bouncer blinked in surprise then tried again, this time the cop noticed the attempt and seemed to trip over nothing, it allowed him to duck away, and miraculously he retained his balance. 

“You need to get out, sir.” the bouncer frowned and took a few steps towards him. The bouncer tried again to grab the cop.

The cop ducked away on purpose this time. But in his rush to get away he ran into a table, which caused him to roll over it. In surprise a woman at the table dropped her drink, The cop caught it mid-air and set it back in front of the woman. 

Everyone was confused, Even the cop. he looked around in surprise before he apologized to the woman. “Sorry. I’ll leave.” He almost seemed to panic as he hurried out of there.

Vera shook her head. This place was weird. It was nice too… but weird.

“Hey, Vera.” Heather walked up behind her. “What was that all about?”

Vera turned to Heather, relieved that Heather's weirdness, her friendly demeanor towards vampires, was at least something she was accustomed to. “Some cop wanted us to look at a picture of some missing girl. It's a bad idea for him to be here though, with so many non-human creatures around. He’s a walking masquerade breach… then he did these weird things and the bouncer couldn’t get a hold of him. This club of yours is weird.”

“Oh no, there’s a missing girl!?”

Vera facepalmed. Of course Heather wanted to find that missing girl. Because Heather wanted to make Vera’s unlife as difficult as possible.


End file.
